West Fairlee Residents Elect Selectman by Write-in

West Fairlee — Selectman Fred Cook was re-elected without opposition yesterday, and Jim Brigham narrowly defeated Maurice Austin, 10-7, in a write-in race for a Selectboard seat. Twenty-one other write-in votes for other candidates were also cast.

West Fairlee’s proposed $474,520 operating budget, up 12 percent from the current year’s spending, was also approved on a 64-28 vote. Ninety-three of the 464 voters on the checklist turned out yesterday.

At Town Meeting on Saturday, voters agreed to borrow up to $200,000 to buy a new vault for the Town Clerk’s Office in the West Fairlee Community Building and to make other upgrades.